Here in New England

Published Saturday October 6, 2012 at 6:00 am

BOSTON — About 300 to 500 defendants, including some “pretty dangerous people,” may be released into Boston streets because of the alleged mishandling of evidence at a Massachusetts drug lab, a prosecutor said Friday. Chemist Annie Dookhan is charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly skirting protocols and faking test results at the now-closed state drug lab. At least two dozen defendants whose cases Dookhan handled have been released, including career criminal and convicted rapist Marcus Pixley. Pixley was released on bail earlier this month but failed to show up for court Wednesday. Quincy police arrested him Friday.

BOSTON — Former Gov. William Weld endorsed fellow Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown on Friday, portraying him as a moderate and independent lawmaker.

Weld, who served as governor from 1991 to 1997, appeared with Brown at his campaign headquarters in Boston and praised him for showing a willingness to cross the political aisle on critical votes and stand up to his own party.

Weld said he and Brown “both believe we need to be a big tent party.”

Brown’s challenger, Democrat Elizabeth Warren, campaigned Friday with Caroline Kennedy and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino at a senior housing complex in the city’s Charlestown neighborhood. Kennedy said Warren will follow in the political footsteps of her late uncle Sen. Edward Kennedy. “I know that in the United States Senate, Elizabeth will fight for seniors, for middle-class families just like my Uncle Teddy did,” Kennedy said.

Warren, a Harvard Law School professor and consumer advocate, said she worked with Sen. Kennedy on issues from pensions to medical bankruptcy.

NEWPORT, R.I. — The bodies of three women were pulled Friday from a car that had been in Newport Harbor for hours after it plunged off a pier and landed on its roof, police said. Police said the Hyundai Accent was on its roof and partially submerged in about four feet of water when it was discovered around 6:30 a.m. at the Newport Shipyard, a privately owned marina. Police had not released names of the victims.